


Time can be rewritten (once in a while)

by ohmypreciousgirl



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, S03!Oliver living in S01, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-19 23:23:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3628131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmypreciousgirl/pseuds/ohmypreciousgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver felt the life drain from his body the second Ra’s Al Ghul buried his sword into his chest. When he hit the ground, Oliver believed he was finally meeting his death as his mind slowly faded into blankness.</p><p>However, he woke up in his old bedroom at the Queen Mansion in Starling City, unscathed. That alone would have been the most bizarre experience in Oliver’s life, except minutes later he found out he woke up on May 1st, 2013… two years before his death.</p><p>
  <b>CURRENTLY ON HIATUS</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic wouldn't be here without the support and help of dedication2em, awriterincowboyboots, theirhappystory and effie214. So, a big thank you, guys!
> 
> Title based on a line from Doctor Who.

_“This is a duel, Oliver,” Felicity said with a shaky voice, taking a few steps towards him. “With one of the most dangerous men that has ever walked the earth.”_

_“I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think I could win,” he stated._

_“I don’t worry that you can beat him. I am terrified you won’t kill him,” she explained, emotion pouring onto her voice as her eyes welled up with tears while she looked at him. “That’s not who you are anymore,” she added softly. “And I’m afraid that Ra’s is going to use your humanity against you.”_

_Oliver considered what she told him. Dueling with Ra’s to death wasn’t the person Oliver turned out to be. Once upon a time, he could’ve done it, but not anymore. Not now that he had Felicity. He couldn’t risk what they had, his love for her, for a duel orchestrated by the man responsible for his misery. It wasn’t worth it._

_They’d find another way. They always did._

_“You’re right,” he agreed. “I’ll stay,” he offered her a small smile._

_“Really?” She asked, disbelief lacing her voice. “Are you sure?”_

_“I’m sure of one thing.” He paused momentarily to gaze at her, memorizing how she looked in that moment. “I love you.”_

_The second the three words left his mouth, he closed the distance between them, leaning forward to capture her lips with his. To his surprise, she met him halfway. He shut his eyes, reveling in the feeling of her body so close to his._

_He’d finally confessed his love. No more allusions or hints about the way he felt. Just brutal honesty - like the clear, decisive choice he made when he decided to stay for both of them._

_The choice he wanted to keep making, over and over again._

_She leaned back, breaking the kiss. Suddenly, he could feel a sharp coppery taste invading his tongue, blood filling up his mouth and then escaping his lips, dripping down his chin._

_A shriek escaped Felicity’s mouth as she stepped away from him, looking terrified at his chest. He glanced down to check what she was seeing, his eyes falling upon a sword piercing his chest._

 

* * *

 

Oliver jolted up, panting, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding loudly in his ears.

His first instinct was to feel his chest, check for the blade that had killed him, but he found nothing but old scars. He frowned, confusion and worry filling his mind as he looked around the dim lit room and recognized it as his old bedroom at the Queen Manor.

The last thing he remembered was Ra’s Al Ghul driving a sword through his chest and then kicking him off of a mountain before he met the ground, the cold seeping into his skin until his mind went completely blank.

He was completely sure he had died in the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere, far away from home. So, how in the hell he was in Starling City, with no injuries and in a bed he had lost alongside his family’s properties?

With calculating eyes, he looked around the room, searching for a clue, an explanation of what was happening. His gaze settled on his nightstand, his eyes widening at the sight of his old phone.

He reached out to inspect it, thinking it impossible for it to be the same device as he’d accidentally crushed his during the Undertaking.

He unlocked the phone with his usual password and the first thing he saw was the date: May 1st, 2013. He had two unread text messages and one missed call. The call was from his sister and the messages were from Felicity. He clicked on them first.

‘You’ll have to start tonight without me. Trapped in a pile of work. KMN.’

‘Fyi, KMN = Kill Me Now.’

He smiled at the screen, warmth spreading through his body at the thought of Felicity. He clicked on her name, waiting to see the picture he took of Felicity smiling happily in the Foundry, but he came across her less personal, more formal Queen Consolidated employee photo. Pressing his lips in a thin line, he searched through everything: contacts, photos, archives. Every single one of them looked like the data that he’d lost years ago. There was no way it should, could, be the same. That couldn’t be right.

He needed answers.

Determined, Oliver got out of the bed, put on the clothes that were resting on his chair and exited his room.

 

* * *

 

He was about to cross the hall, toward the door to leave the house when the sound of steps coming from the living room drew his attention.

“Mr. Oliver?”

Oliver stiffened at the sound of Raisa’s voice. He turned around, surprised by the woman’s unexpected appearance. He couldn’t remember how many months had passed since the last time he had seen her. A pang of guilt and shame shot through him. He should’ve checked on her a few times after he lost his fortune. After all, he had many joyful memories during his childhood thanks to her.

“Raisa, hey,” he said, hesitantly. He took a few steps toward her, uncertain of how he should behave. “You’re here.”

She gave him a confused look before smiling kindly at him. “Of course, I am, Mr. Oliver. It’s still my workday.”

“Right,” he shook his head, his lips quirking up. “Is… someone around?” He pondered.

“Ms. Thea took Mrs. Queen to brunch and probably a shopping trip.”

Oliver’s eyes widened at the mention of his mother. He felt his knees weaken and took a deep breath to calm himself.

“My mom is…” Alive? “Okay?” He asked, quietly.

Raisa frowned, tilting her head. “She seemed fine when she left, Mr. Oliver.”

He swallowed thickly, his thumb rubbing against his fingers. If his mother was alive, maybe that meant…

“What about Tommy, Raisa?” He inquired with urgency. “Is he okay?”

Worry etched across Raisa’s face as she stared at him. “From the last time I saw him, I believe he was fine. Considering.”

His eyebrows knitted together. “Considering what?”

“Considering that last week,” she said pointedly. “He, Ms. Lance and the little boy you put under the family’s protection were attacked here by those awful men,” she paused briefly, taking in his confusion before adding, “Are you feeling alright, Mr. Oliver?”

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before settling into a calmer demeanor “I’m fine, Raisa.”

She didn’t seem to believe him, so he closed the distance between them, reaching out for her upper arms, squeezing them lightly in a reassuring way. “I’m good, I just need some air.”

He released her from his grip, turning around to leave the house. Before he opened the door, he looked back at her.

“It was good to see you, Raisa.”

“You too, Mr. Oliver,” she replied.

Her gentle smile was the last thing he saw before shutting the door.

 

* * *

 

His mother was alive.

Tommy was alive.

The phone he found looked like the device he once had because it was the same one.

He was reliving 2013.

Oliver ran his hands over his face, rubbing his eyes roughly as he walked aimlessly around the property.

“This can’t be real,” he muttered.

How in the hell had he died in a mountain and woken up in the past? Yeah, he had seen his fair share of weird things in the last eight years of his life, but time travel had always been out of realm of possibility. He must be dreaming or he died and life after death was as much a purgatory as Lian Yu, a place where he could relive the times he regretted the most.

He stopped, closing his eyes to calm himself. He took a couple of deep breaths before opening his eyes and considered his problem.

He was back in 2013. The beginning of May, to be precise.

It meant the Undertaking hadn’t happened yet. It also meant his sister still carried her innocence, untouched by Malcolm’s perversity. Somewhere in the world, Sara was alive and living her life as a member of The League of Assassins. Felicity wasn’t heartbroken over him for his stupid decision to not be with her. Slade hadn’t wreaked havoc his life. Queen Consolidated still belonged to his family.

Every single failure he’d experienced, every wrong, was still right.

What if it could stay that way?

Oliver’s eyes widened with the realization. He could stop every single thing Merlyn was planning before it was too late.

He was probably insane, and all of this was just an elaborate hallucination. But there was a part of him that couldn’t help but consider the slim chance that the universe had stopped screwing him over for once and gave him a chance for a do-over.

What if he took it?

What if he could fix the mistakes he’d made in his life?

And then, a voice he hadn’t listened to in almost two years asked the question he never thought he’d have to consider again: what if you kill him?

He’d stopped killing to honor Tommy’s memory, to become a hero instead of just a vigilante. But alongside both those things, he had still been a soldier, someone who understood what Sara had told him the night of the Undertaking: that to beat the unthinkable, he had to be willing to do the unthinkable. Like he’d said to Lyla, sometimes the world and the people in it required him to be bold.

Ra’s training had made Malcolm bold and deadly; theoretically impossible to beat. It was why Felicity had asked him – again – to end it, once and for all.

So perhaps the only way to beat them was for Oliver himself to become deadly once again.

He’d become the vigilante to help his city; to help the greater good. What was the worth of one man’s life versus an entire population?

What if his death meant countless others would live?

He thought of his mother, Tommy, Sara; what he wouldn’t give for another chance with them. And here one was, right in front of him, ready and willing – as long as he was.

He strode through the house as he decided he was going to take it.  He was going to fix every single mistake he had ever committed in his life, starting with allowing Malcolm to live.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always, I need to say a big thank you to dedication2em, awriterincowboyboots, and effie214. Without their help, I'd be lost!
> 
> First, I want to say a huge THANK YOU for all the lovely messages regarding this new story! I hope you'll enjoy where I'm going to take Oliver and Felicity cause the road won't be smooth, but I hope it's worth it!
> 
> Please, if you enjoyed this chapter gimme kudos and comments because they help to inspire the muse. Next chapter will be up at the end of the month, so you won't wait a lot. Don't worry :) Now, ENJOY!

Oliver knew he needed to focus, to solidify a plan of action. He’d always felt a sense of control while on the back of his bike, and found himself heading to the garage adjacent to the house.

He found the bike in its usual place on the far side of the garage and tried to remember the last time he’d ridden it. He used to enjoy riding this motorcycle for fun, but as of late it seemed the only time he put the helmet on was to ride the Arrow’s bike and chase after bad guys. Circling the well-loved machine, he let his fingers run over the glossy curves as he remembered the time before he was the Arrow; the late nights riding around the bay, stupid races he was lucky to have survived. Back roads he’d lost himself on and found peace.

If he’d worked harder to hold to Oliver Queen instead of letting the Arrow consume him, it might have occurred to him to take Felicity on a ride down those back roads. But it was because of Felicity and Oliver Queen that he was here, trying to change what he’d already done. Climbing on to the bike and thrilling at the roar of the engine as he slid aimlessly between the streets, his mind was on overdrive.

Oliver knew he needed to plan every step he took. First of all, he couldn’t just barge in the Foundry and drop everything he knew on Dig and Felicity without explanations. They’d question the validity of whatever information he supplied them with, and they’d grill Oliver about how he knew it in the first place. Oliver would fail to give them a good answer, consequently raising suspicions and wariness, which were the last things Oliver wanted to happen.

He needed to be careful and calculate his every move. He’d have to watch out for what he said around Felicity and Diggle. Oliver had no illusions of his lack of ability to channel the man he was three years ago. His mind and his heart were in a completely different place now for him to be able to keep up with a sham 24/7 with the two persons he trusted the most. He couldn’t do it and, to be honest, he didn’t even want to try.

He wanted them to see the man he was becoming and how far he was from the vengeful guy they first met. He wanted Felicity to notice he was the man she believed his past self could turn into someday. So, for it to happen he needed to show he changed, but nothing too drastic to not alarm them. He’d find a balance between the person he was now with the person Dig and Felicity knew.

For the moment, the best course of action was to retrace everything he did in his past to uncover the Undertaking and then change what he deemed fit. The first thing to move forward his plan was to find who was his next target in the list.

Determined, he did a sudden U-turn with his motorcycle and headed towards Verdant. Whatever answer he needed, he’d find there.

 

* * *

Oliver found the information he wanted fairly quickly. It felt weird to be inside the Foundry that didn’t look like the one he’d just left behind. This one felt cold and dark, and an uncomfortable feeling crept up on him the longer he stayed there. It made him realize how much his life improved since he let his team in. The Foundry was a safe haven, almost like home. The combination of Felicity’s warm personality, Diggle’s steady presence and Roy’s silent companionship always reminded him of the reasons why he was the Arrow.

Glancing for the last time at his notebook for the address he scribbled down, he exited the Foundry. Harold Backman was his target. He remembered him. He was the guy who managed dirty money that led them straight to Walter’s kidnapping. It’d be a simple, but pretty important mission.

Just like the first time around, the job went smoothly. He beat up some security guys, threatened Backman and stole his laptop. The whole thing took him fifteen minutes tops.

As he drove back to Verdant, he tried to tamp down the nervous energy that was making him jittery. He was about to meet Felicity for the first time since he’d left her behind with an empty promise, a forehead kiss and an ‘I love you’. He didn’t go back for her like he promised. He died on that mountain and, somehow, woke up in the past. A past where he was falling for her and Felicity was completely clueless about it.

He couldn’t barge in the Foundry, take her in his arms and admit he has been a fool and she was right the whole time: that life was precious and he wanted to live and not die alone.

Not again.

He wanted to tell her his last dying thought was of kissing her. That in his demise, he found the answer he didn’t even know he was searching for.

He thought if he died, he’d see himself as the Arrow, everything he’d done. But when death came to greet him, it was Oliver Queen who welcomed it. His last moments were all about the people he loved dearly and how much he didn’t want to let go of them.

He’d made a mistake detaching himself from everything that made him Oliver. He shouldn’t have let go of Felicity, his family’s company, his sister. He should have realized that everything he loved were the things that kept him together. If he didn’t want to lose himself again, he shouldn’t let them go. At least dying gave him the clarity he needed and he could do better this time. He’d stay and make things right again, not let anyone use his humanity against him - he’d turn it into his weapon and shield and he’d fight for them.

He hopped off the motorcycle, securing it before grabbing the laptop and his bow to slip into the club. Faster than he’d like, he reached the door to the Foundry. He took a deep breath, typing down the security password with shaky hands. He could meet Felicity at any minute now, as she wasn’t clear what hour she’d arrive from her job. He only prayed that he could contain his reaction when he first laid his eyes on her.

He opened the door and the lights were on, signalizing that Felicity or Diggle were already there. He took an intake of air when he saw her familiar figure occupying the chair she claimed as her own. She was typing furiously and seemed that she didn’t notice his arrival.

“Felicity,” he called softly, slowly approaching her. She startled, turning her chair towards him.

“Oh, hey I didn’t hear you,” she said, looking at him with bright eyes.

He stopped abruptly, taking her in. Oliver never realized how much Felicity had changed since he first met her. She had her usual ponytail, but instead of straight hair, it fell on her back in curls. Rather than the short skirts and dresses he’d gotten so used to, she was wearing a colorful striped pullover with dark pants and flats. He forgot how she used to dress during the first year they knew each other. Her wardrobe definitely grew up with her.

“Oliver?” She said, snapping him out of reverie. “Are you okay?”

He fidgeted before nodding. “Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, walking toward her desk to stand close to her. “Here.” He deposited the laptop in front of her.

She hummed, interested. “Lemme guess! Some bad guy’s missing his fancy new laptop.”

He gripped tight his bow. He was itching to touch Felicity, grab her hand, pull her off of her chair, wrap his arm around her waist and hug her to him in a tight embrace, breathing her in. But he couldn’t do that because it’d scare her off. So, to shut down the temptation, he walked around the Foundry, far away from her.

“Harold Backman,” he told her as she opened the lid of the laptop and started messing around with it. “He’s who Starling City’s worst call when they want to launder money in the Caymans.” He stood a few steps back from where she sat. It was the perfect view of her profile without being too close for him to reach out.

“Shouldn’t we just turn this over to...I don’t know, the IRS?” She shrugged, sending him a questioning look.

“We will,” he assured her. “Just as soon as you return the money to the rightful owners.”

“Well, it sounds like a very nice idea,” she muttered, her attention completely stuck on the multiple windows open on the screen. “Backman’s files are all protected with an asymmetric encryption algorithm.”

Oliver vaguely remembered that. It’d take days to break in all those files.

“That means it’ll take some time to get in, right?” he confirmed.

“Days, at least.”

“Then, I’ll let you work,” he said with one last look. He needed to get out of his suit, store his bow and quiver and try to come up with ideas of how defeat Merlyn. The sound of her chair turning and Felicity getting up drew his attention.

“At the risk of ending up with an arrow in my eye,” she started, causing Oliver to turn around with a deep crease between his brows. She closed the distance between them as she talked. “Can I ask… When are you planning on making peace with Diggle?”

Oliver’s mind went blank at the question. He needed to make peace with Diggle? Shit, what he had done? He shut his eyes in realization, remembering Raisa’s word. If the last week his house was attacked, it meant Diggle left the team because Oliver let down his friend when he needed him most.

“I’ll apologize to him,” he promised.

“Yeah, but…” Felicity stopped abruptly, looking at him with wide eyes. “What did you say?”

“I said, I’d go to apologize to him tomorrow,” he declared, noticing the way Felicity’s mouth hung open in shock. He wet his lips with the tip of his tongue as he tried to look at her eyes instead of her mouth.

“Just like that?” She asked, astounded.

Shit, he was really bad back then, wasn’t he?

“Yes, Felicity, just like that,” he said, trying to muffle a smile at her reaction.

She blinked repeatedly at him, before speaking. “If it’s that easy, why not today instead of tomorrow?”

He gave her a knowing look. “I’m giving him time to cool down before I speak to him.”

“That’s sounds like an excuse to me,” she said perceptively.

“It’s not,” he denied. “I’ll talk to him soon.”

She nodded, seeming a bit far away. He smiled at her and, without a second thought, grabbed her hand, squeezing her fingers lightly.

“You know,” he hesitated, looking down at their hands before looking up at her again. “You can ask me anything without expecting me to react badly,” he told her. “Actually, if it’s you asking, I’ll do it.”

Her lips parted in shock, forming an ‘o’. Her expression brought him back to the moment he first said ‘I love you’ to her. A knot formed in his stomach. He needed to let her go before he did something reckless, like lean down and kiss her. This version of Felicity was clueless to his feelings for her. They hadn’t even shared their first kiss – which was good. That particular moment wasn’t a happy one to him. Now, maybe they’d have the opportunity to share the first kiss they deserved instead of one stained by sadness and goodbyes. Slowly, he let go of her hand and offered her a smile.

“I’ve got to change and take care of some stuff,” he said, trying to avoid a wince at his lame excuse to get away from the intense moment. “Let me know when you’re done with the files.”

With a last glance at her mesmerized look, he turned around and walked away.

 

* * *

Oliver had completely forgotten the fact that, at this point, he was the one responsible for the club. Tommy wasn’t working for him anymore and his sister hadn’t taken it over yet, so he was the one in charge. At least, one of his bartenders reminded him of that when she stopped him from leaving Verdant to ask about the delivery of an order they made a couple of days ago. As a result, instead of working on his Malcolm problem, he spent the whole night working at Verdant. He had forgot how responsibility for anything but Arrow related issues were utterly boring.

When he finished stocking the merchandise and went to the bar, he was surprised to find Laurel there sipping a cup of coffee.

“Oh, hey, Laurel.”

“This coffee’s terrible, Oliver,” she said at him as greeting.

He chuckled. “That’s what you get for ordering coffee in a bar.”

She didn’t laugh at his quip, her eyes instead cast down and Oliver knew she was upset. Oliver’s stomach plummeted at the sight. The familiarity of the scene left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. Laurel being there marked the beginning of one of Oliver’s biggest screwups since he came back from Lian Yu.

“What’s wrong?” he asked out of courtesy because he already knew what happened.

She sighed, continuing to avert her eyes. “Tommy broke up with me.”

He nodded. “What happened?”

“I have no idea,” she said. “Things were good. They were… Great, and then suddenly he’s packing up his things and telling me that it’s over. Did he say anything to you?”

Oliver tried to look impassive and nonchalant under her gaze. He knew exactly why Tommy had broken up with her. He had learned Oliver was the vigilante and was sure Laurel would leave him for Oliver when she found out about it, so he left first. But it wasn’t like he could tell Laurel that.

“No,” he lied. “Since he quit, we haven’t talked very much.”

An uneasy silence settled between them. Oliver remembered trying to be supportive of Tommy and Laurel’s relationship and failing completely. At the end, he confessed he still had feelings for her leading them to sleep together and, consequently, blowing up their relationships with Tommy. This time things would be different. He genuinely wanted to help them fix their problems.

“Do you want to be with Tommy?” Oliver asked.

Laurel blinked at him, surprised. There was a pause before she nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“Then fight for him,” he told Laurel. “If there’s one thing I learned in the last few weeks is that you should fight for the person you love. You don’t let them go. You hold onto them and if there’s a problem, you don’t run away,” he said as memories of him telling Felicity he couldn’t be with her because of the life he led filtered through his brain. What a fool he had been. 

“When you love, you stay, you talk things through and you’re honest. You make things right,” he added with a quiet voice. “Don’t commit the same mistake I did. It’s difficult to try to repair it later.”

Laurel narrowed her eyes, before she sent him a calculative look. He just offered her a sad smile.

“Like you tried to do with me, “ she replied, pressing her lips in a thin line.

Oliver almost flinched under her gaze. Yeah, she would think he was talking about her. He opened his mouth to explain he wasn’t hinting at their story when the sound of footstep approaching drew his and Laurel’s attention.

“Oliver, I need to show you what,” Felicity’s voice filled the bar before stopping abruptly, making Oliver’s lips quirk up instantly as he turned around to look at her. “I just totally walked in on a thing, didn’t I?” She asked pointing at them in her adorable way.

“Felicity,” he said amused at the same time Laurel asked curtly, “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“She’s Felicity,” Oliver cut Felicity off before she said something else. He offered Felicity a reassuring smile, before turning to Laurel. “She’s my friend.”

Laurel sent him a look, the corners of her mouth curling up a little when her eyes fell on Felicity.

“You’re Laurel, right?” Felicity said, looking questioningly at Oliver. He gave her a curt nod. “That Laurel. Gorgeous Laurel,” she added with a soft smile.

A small crease appeared between his brows as his glance flitted between the two women, a weird atmosphere settling on the bar.

“I’m setting up a router to the club,” Felicity offered as explanation to Laurel. “And I need to show Oliver something very important related to it.” Her eyes fell upon him, a significant look letting him know she found relevant data.

 “I’ll meet you there in a second, Felicity,” he told her with a gentle smile.

“Of course,” she nodded slowly. She turned around, making her way toward the basement.

Knowing Felicity was out of earshot, he looked back at Laurel. He needed to clarify his feelings and right any assumptions she’d made because of his behavior since he came back.

“I know I put you through a lot of things and I’m truly sorry for that. I wish I could take them back, I honestly do,” he admitted, his eyes locked on hers. “But I can’t. I used to be in love with you, but I never did that right, you know?” He paused, taking her impassive expression as green light to keep talking. He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that we were never right for each other. If we were, it wouldn’t be easy to let it go in the end.” Her eyes became stony, her jaw clenching. Her expression made his gut twist into a tight knot. He didn’t like hurting her, but Laurel needed to hear it from him. He needed her to shut down whatever remaining feelings she had for him, for once and all. “And we let it go, we moved on.

“If you can’t imagine anything in the universe that would make you let go of your feelings for him or of Tommy… Fight for it,” he concluded with a small wave of hand.

Laurel stared at him in silence for a couple of seconds, before bobbing her head in agreement.

“Yeah, you’re right,” she said in a quiet voice. “I’ll let you go then. Thank you for the horrible coffee and the advice.”

He offered her a grin. “You’re welcome.”

When he turned around to trail after Felicity, a sense of finality settled on him. He’d given Laurel closure and now she could finally move on with her life with Tommy.

Doing the right thing never felt so good.

 

* * *

Felicity was waiting impatiently for him at the bottom of the stairs, holding a paper.

“What did you find?” He asked as he approached her. He knew she’d found the trail of the money that would lead them to Walter, but it wasn’t like he could tell her that.

 “I hacked in and put together a list of all the deposits Backman made last year,” she said, handing him the paper as he followed her towards her computer. “Look at the bottom page. It was biggest deposit Backman made last year.”

Oliver zeroed in the paper, knowing already what he’d find. “Two million dollar on December 12,” he said, trying to feign surprise. “That’s…”

“When Walter disappeared,” Felicity completed his thought. “What if one of Backman’s clients was paid two million to kidnap Walter?”

“Then we find out which client it was and we use them to find Walter,” he said decisively, turning to look at her. His stomach fluttered when their eyes met. He tried to suppress a reassuring smile, but he failed. She returned tentatively his smile, surprise reflecting in her eyes.

Averting her eyes from his, she sat on her chair as Oliver stepped back slightly. He hovered over her, watching her fingers move along the keyboard, her face slightly scrunched up with concentration.

“After all this time, do you think Walter might still really be alive?” She asked, looking up at him.

His eyes softened at her doubt. He couldn’t tell her now that Walter was alive, but he could give her hope. His lips curled up a bit and, hesitantly, he reached out for her. The pad of his fingertips brushed her shoulder, rubbing back and forth in an act of comfort.

He knew it wasn’t wise to touch her so much, but he couldn’t help himself. It had been so long since he felt like he could reach for Felicity that now he relished every opportunity he could sneak a touch. The fact her face lit up when he did, a mix of awe and astonishment reflecting in her eyes, was just a bonus.

“Yes, I believe so,” he whispered sincerely. She offered him a soft smile as he squeezed her shoulder before he reluctantly let it go.

A beep alerted them that Felicity found the client.

“Dominic Alonzo,” she read out loud the name showing on her screen. “Do you know him?”

“Yeah, he runs the biggest underground casino in Starling City when he’s not busy kidnapping.”

“He looks like the kind of lowlife someone would hire to kidnap Walter,” she muttered. “How many arrows do you think you’ll have to put in him before he gives up Walter’s location? Say a lot?”

He shook his head. “It won’t be simple. That casino has its own private army. We need to access Alonzo’s computer without setting off any alarms.”

“If you had already talked to Diggle, we…”

“We can do this one on our own,” Oliver cut her off. “I’ll talk to him after we get this done, Felicity.”

“You’re not stalling, are you?” she inquired, squinting her eyes. He fidgeted under her perceptive gaze.

Oliver wasn’t looking forward to apologizing to Diggle for disappointing him. He had let his brother down and nothing in the world could make it right. He hated what his past self had done.

“I’m not,” he lied. “I just think we need to follow up this trail as soon as possible. We can’t let anything else distract us now,” he reasoned. “This is the first real chance we have to find him since you joined us; do you really want to focus on something else right now?”

She seemed mollified at his explanation, nodding in agreement. “Looks like someone’s going gambling tonight.”

 He shut his eyes, lips pressed in a thin line. Her first field mission was Alonzo’s casino. He wouldn’t say it had gone smoothly, but she didn’t end up hurt back then, and that had come out a win in his book. But it didn’t mean he was in any way less reluctant to let her walk straight in the lion’s den as he was the first time around.

“I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no,” he said in a serious voice.

 “How can you possibly know what I’m thinking?” She challenged him, her voice hitting a higher note.

“You’re thinking you should go and play cards because you know your way around a casino,” he stated unhesitatingly.

Felicity faltered under his knowing gaze. “How did you…?”

He flinched at the realization he let slip information about her he wasn’t supposed to know yet. “You... told me?”

Felicity let out a humorless laugh. “You checked my background, didn’t you?”

He remained silent, not sure what to tell her. He wished he could just confess that he came from the future and he knew her as well as the back of his hand. But he couldn’t ever tell her that.

“Didn’t you?” She repeated, raising her voice.

He averted his eyes from hers, fixing in the wall at her back. he couldn’t convincingly lie to her looking at her eyes.

“I needed to know who you were before I revealed my secret to you,” he explained. “I couldn’t risk my life.”

As she didn’t say anything, he looked at her. He couldn’t get a read from her emotions, not when she looked so impassive.

“I understand,” she whispered. “But please never use whatever you saw in the file you compiled in one of our conversations ever again.”

“I promise,” he uttered.

“And I am going to the casino,” she added determinedly. “Walter was the reason I joined you in the first place. You have to let me do this.”

From the decisiveness in her eyes, he knew it was a lost cause.

She’d go inside, be at risk of getting hurt and he’d have to hear it while waiting for the moment to sweep in and save her. Basically, his own brand of personal hell.

“All right,” he agreed begrudgingly. “But we do it my way.”

Having known her for so long, he could recognize the eagerness underneath her controlled expression. Under his stare, she ran the tip of her pink tongue between her lips. His breath caught in his throat, the desire to claim her lips in a kiss burning him up.

He had to get control over his thoughts. The last thing Felicity needed was for him to be enthralled and distracted by her…everything. Focus was necessary if he wanted to get his plan done successfully. Just because he knew which plan would work didn’t mean he was allowed to distractions.

“Come on,” he cocked his head to the side, silently asking her to follow him.

 

* * *

Oliver’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of Felicity walking towards him in the back alley close to the casino. He had forgotten how beautiful she looked in that tight long red dress with a black shawl draped over her shoulders. Yet, it was her exposed neck that kept drawing his attention thanks to the way she styled her hair.

“Hey,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. A person who wasn’t familiar with her couldn’t detect the distress in her voice, but Oliver knew better.

“Hey, Felicity,” he smiled.

Oliver noticed her checking him out, her eyes tracing his face and chest. He muffled a satisfied grin at her obvious attraction to him. He couldn’t recall the last time he caught Felicity taking a notice of his physical appearance. His stomach fluttered at the realization that he’d gotten back this part of their relationship that he thought it was gone.

“You ready?” He asked as they started moving, walking side by side.

“I think so,” she replied in a high-pitched voice. “Just to be clear, the plan is for me to get caught counting cards in an underground casino filled with hardened criminals.”

“So you can get a friendly warning from Alonzo and plant a bug on his office computer,” he finished.

“Right, which will hopefully lead us to Walter,” she commented nervously. “That is assuming I get the friendly warning and not a bullet.”

They stopped in the middle of the street, Felicity turning around to face him.

He sighed, taking a step closer to her. “Hey, you don’t have to do this,” he reminded her.

“Yes,” she nodded resolutely. “I do.”

“Okay. If anything happens, I’m right outside. I’ll come straight away to get you,” he promised.

Oliver could feel the jittery energy emanating from Felicity. Her usual confident façade was gone in the prospect of her first field mission. _That’s good_ , he thought, _fear makes people more careful and aware of their surroundings._

“Okay,” she said, looking down as if she was talking herself up to walk the rest of the way.

“Felicity,” he said, bringing his hand up to the side of her face, his fingers gently slid under her chin, tilting it up to look at him. “Just… try to reign your emotions and act as normal as you can, okay?” He advised, holding her gaze.“You can do it.”

She gulped before bobbing her head slowly. She gave Oliver a tentative smile, stepping away from his hold and making her way to the casino.

Oliver watched the distance stretch between them.

Felicity didn’t look back at him. Not even once.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always, I need to say a big thank you to dedication2em, awriterincowboyboots, and effie214. Without their help, I'd be lost!
> 
> First, I want to say a huge THANK YOU for all the lovely messages! My life is a bit of chaotic right now (gonna graduate this year guys!), so I didn't reply anyone yet, I'm sorry I'm terrible. But know I'm very grateful and every single review I get motivates me to write more. I know this update took me some time, but I had to rewrite a few pieces to give you a better fic, so I'm so sorry! 
> 
> Please, if you enjoyed this chapter gimme kudos and comments because they help to inspire the muse. Next chapter will be up at the end of the month, so you won't wait a lot. Don't worry :) Now, ENJOY!

Perched on the top of an emergency staircase, Oliver monitored the casino’s entry with binoculars and the bug he’d planted earlier. He was waiting for someone to utter the password so he could give it to Felicity, allowing her entrance to the ultra exclusive underground casino.

A man dressed in a suit expensive enough to be in Oliver’s closet got out of a black car, walking towards the guard. Oliver managed to make out the words spoken by the man before he was let in to the only entrance to the building.

“The password is snapdragon,” he told Felicity via com.

He watched Felicity cross the same path the man did, giving the guard the password with more confidence than he thought she felt and soon, the sound of chatter and music filled his ears.

It was the worst feeling in the world, not knowing what was going on around her, but this was something neither Oliver Queen nor the Arrow could take care of, so he had to sit and listen to Felicity put herself in danger. He shook himself from the distracting thoughts, focusing back on the mission.

“What do you see?” he asked from his place on a fire escape.

“Six armed guards, two pit bosses and a floor man.” Her voice was steady, almost relaxed and Oliver wondered if she’d gotten control over her emotions or if she was just that good at hiding things from him. “No slot machines. How do you call yourself a casino without any Lucky Sevens?”

“Felicity, focus,” he reminded her gently. “I’ll be with you the entire time.”

“Thanks,” she sighed. “It feels really good having you inside me.”

Her words immediately drew the most perfect scene in his mind: Oliver pressing her against a wall, her red dress rucked up around her waist and her panties on the floor. His mouth attacking her neck while her hands dug at his shoulders as he thrust inside her. He felt desire pooling at the pit of his stomach.

“I bet it does,” he replied with a groan. Instead of trying to furiously backpedal in order to fix her faux pas like she usually did, a surprised gasp left her lips.

The sound she made didn’t help his state of mind.

“Did you just…”

“Felicity,” he all but pleaded. “The mission. _Please._ ”

She cleared her throat. “Right.”

A few moments later he heard her say: “One stack of high society, please.”

The game was on as she started playing, and all he could to do was sit. And wait.

 

* * *

 

Oliver heard Felicity cheering over and over again after each win. Even if it was a mission, he knew the sounds were genuine. Felicity loved to celebrate when she was right.

It didn’t take too much time to hear a grave voice telling Felicity to get up and accompany them.

“Oh, since you asked so nicely.”

He could make out the sound of her moving around, probably following the man’s steps to the manager’s office. Dread filled his chest, he hated to be in the position where he could do absolutely nothing aside risking Felicity. In his opinion, it happened too many times.

“Oh, there’s the bathroom,” he heard her say with exaggerated casualness. “I should’ve known the manager’s office would be down the hall and to the right of the bathroom.”

Oliver smiled proudly even as he huffed out a laugh at her attempts to give him the layout and directions to where she would be, just in case.

 _Smart_ , he thought, but hopefully unlike his first time, the one over a year from now, he wouldn’t need to come and save her.

He heard the man “accompanying” Felicity speak. “Mr. Alonzo.”

“Have a seat,” there was a pause while, Oliver assumed, Felicity followed Alonzo’s request.

“What’s your name?”

“Meghan,” she answered.

“Do you know where the term ‘eighty-six’ comes from, Meghan?”

“As it happens, I do.” Oliver hoped the man couldn’t easily detect the nervousness coming from her voice like he did. “It’s from Prohibition. There was an illegal casino - not like this one - located at 86 Bedford Street in New York and… God, you know, I’m just gonna stop talking.”

“Now it means to ban someone. Someone who is cheating. You’re eighty-sixed. Leave your chips and go.”

“Thank you,” she said and Oliver heard the quick sound of movement. “Thank you.”

The knot at the pit of his stomach eased up. She would get out there without a problem, just banned like they’d planned.

“Oh yeah, Meghan, one more thing. You see, the thing about card counters is…sometimes they work with a partner.”

Oliver winced at the comm being violently cut off, the sound exploding in his ear.

“Fuck,” Oliver muttered under his breath, hurriedly gathering his things. She got caught this time too. He’d have to blast his way through the casino to save her.

Then, he had to make Alonzo talk.

 

* * *

 

Ultimately, it was chaos.

He tried to shoot arrows at non-fatal places, but it was hard to see where he was going as he tried to avoid bullets and find the place Felicity was being kept. When he finally found the hall matching the description she’d given, a casino employee attacked him with a stick. With relative ease, Oliver grabbed it from the man’s hand, taking him out below the knees. As he writhed on the floor screaming from pain, Oliver went straight to the door he knew was Alonzo’s.

Fury flooded through his blood when he stepped into the office and saw Felicity being held at gunpoint by Alonzo. Tamping down the fear, the anger, and the rage at someone threatening the woman he - threatening Felicity. He shot an explosive arrow at a dart board just behind Alonzo.

“I heard you never miss,” Alonzo crowed.

“I don’t.”

The explosive detonated, sending Felicity and Alonzo to the floor. Quickly, Oliver kicked the gun out of the man’s reach and grabbed him by the lapels of his grey suit, pushing him against the wall.

“Where’s Walter Steele?” He demanded, his voice a low threat.

“What? What are you talking about?” Alonzo groaned, his feet handing inches above the ground.

“Six months ago you had him kidnapped!”

“It was just a job. I was given a name. I didn’t ask any questions,” he said.

Oliver let go of one of his lapels to wrap leather clad fingers around Alonzo’s neck. “Tell me what you know.”

“He’s below ground.” It wasn’t a subtle euphemism.

“You’re lying,” Oliver accused immediately, forgetting for a moment that he already knew better. For a moment he got caught up in the adrenaline and before he could remember Walter was somewhere alive and safe in Merlyn’s care he shoved Alonzo back against the wall hard enough he made a thud.

“I’m not!” he insisted. “I delivered him and they killed him. I heard the gunshot. He’s dead.”

Oliver shifted his hold, quickly pulling his hand from Alonzo’s suit and into a fist, striking the man’s face hard and fast enough to knock him out.

He took a deep breath and the memories of the next few years came back in flashes. He used the knowledge Walter was not in fact dead to calm himself down and prepared himself to face Felicity.

He slid down the hood, and turned to meet Felicity’s eyes, and it almost broke his heart to see her. Her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

He pressed his lips together, moving closer to her. He threw an arm over her shoulders, bringing her closer to his body.

“Come on, Felicity,” he murmured, turning her to face the door. “We need to go.”

He walked by her side, helping her navigate the chaotic casino until they got out. Her body was shaking slightly under his hold and he could see the trail of a few tears down her cheeks. It made his heart constrict in his chest.

He hated that he wouldn’t be able to ease her pain until the next morning, after he had the solid evidence from the call Malcolm would make thanks to his mother’s visit. He was starting to hate the fact he had to pretend he knew nothing more when he could help immediately. It was the shittiest situation he had ever been in, and he’d been in a lot of shitty situations.

Silence remained between them until they reached the place where Felicity’s Mini was parked a few meters away from the back alley where they had met earlier.

As soon as Felicity fished out her car keys of her purse, he gently pried them out of hand.

She frowned, looking up at him in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“You’re crying and upset,” he explained softly. “I don’t want you to drive like this.”

“Oliver, I’m not some delicate flower that can’t…”

“It’s not about that,” he cut her off. “I’m just…worried.”

She narrowed her eyes, assessing him before her face settled into her stubbornly determined look, one he knew all too well.

“Take your bike and talk to your family,” she told him, waving away his concern. “I’m fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Felicity,” he said with a stern look, trying to take the keys out of reach.

“Oliver,” she replied in her final tone, hand outstretched. “Don’t fight with me on this. Your family needs you more than I do.”

Reluctantly, he nodded. He knew she had a point. The more time he wasted meant more time Walter spent with his kidnappers. He needed to let her go.

With a defeated sigh, he deposited the keys in her palm. She closed her hands around them, giving him a tight-lipped smile before she circled the car to open the driver’s side door. Before she slipped in she turned to look at him.

“Thank you, Oliver.”

A crease formed between his eyes, his head titling to the side. “For what?”

“Saving me,” she said with a shrug. “For worrying about me when you just lost a family member.”

“He was your friend too,” he sighed. “And I always worry about you, Felicity.”

She shook her head and chuckled softly. “You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do,” he told her with a significant look.

She licked her lips, opening her mouth to say something, but ultimately thought better of it, waving at him. “Bye, Oliver.”

“Bye,” he offered her a smile, though he wasn’t sure she could see it under his hood.

He watched her drive away and dragging his feet a little in exhaustion behind him, he went to his bike. Now, he had to go home and give the fake news to his family. His hand stopped in midair as he reached for his helmet, eyes widened in realization.

He was going to see his mother.

It’d be the first time he’d see his mother alive in nine months, and for all the lying he’s had to do in his life, he knew this – not being able to express his happiness at her continued existence – would be the hardest lie yet. Because not only did he have to tamp down his emotions, he had to offer the cover story to get a solid lead on Malcolm. He’d been in the past for less than 72 hours and he’d have to put his loved ones through a new round of pain.

“It’s worth it,” he reminded himself as he slid his helmet over his head, before securing his bag on the bike. He hopped up the vehicle and started the engine.

He’d get Malcolm to make the call and then they were on the right path to find the necessary answers about the Undertaking. Answers that didn’t involve him spilling his crazy secrets about time travel and that ultimately saved the Glades – all of it.

 

* * *

 

Oliver had to take three deep breaths before he had the courage to open the mansion’s front door. It was the first time he was walking through that entry since he arrived from 2014. He hadn’t seen Thea or his mother in those two days he had been “back”, and the prospect of seeing both of them made Oliver tremble.

He was passing the hall when he heard their animated voices. With his heart racing, he quickly followed the sound. The closer he got to them, the more nervous he became.

He wanted to save his mother and Thea from the pain, but Oliver needed Malcolm to call the place he was keeping Walter and the easiest way to do it was what worked the first time around.

When he reached threshold of the living room’s door he had to take a step back. Closing his hands into fists to stop them from shaking, he felt his control slowly slip.

There they were, sitting on the couch while sharing a blanket, perusing a site for clothes. They were laughing, his mother was breathing and Thea still remained innocent.  A sense of contentment and relief inundated Olive as he watched them, this moment completely different from the last memory he had of them together.

He closed his eyes as the images of his mother bleeding out on the ground overwhelmed him. Thea had been screaming and sobbing right beside her while Oliver was tied up, immobile on the spot Slade dropped him. He never had felt more helpless than in that moment.

A knot of emotions clogged his throat as he felt the foreign burning sensation of tears behind his eyes. He took another deep breath before he opened his eyes. He needed to pull himself together.

He hadn’t lost his mother yet, nor his sister. If he played his cards right, he wouldn’t ever have to lose them. He just needed to work quickly; get answers faster than the first time around and everything bad that happened to his family could be avoided. He just needed to take another step and announce his presence. Wiping the wetness from his eyes with the pad of his fingers, he walked into the room.

“Hey, I’m teaching mom the joys of online clothes shopping,” Thea revealed with a smile. Noticing his demeanor as he approached them, she frowned. “Ollie? Are you okay?”

He sat on the chair right in front of his mother, studying her quietly. She looked as beautiful as he remembered with her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and natural makeup giving her a classy look. God, how much he missed looking at his mother.

Overcoming his want to reach and wrap himself around his mother like when he was a little boy, he interlocked his fingers together, resting his hands on his lap.

“I need to talk to you both,” he said solemnly.

“What is it?” his mother asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

 “It’s about Walter.”

As soon as his words left his mouth, both his mother and sister straightened.

“Did the police contact you?” Moira questioned.

“One of Mr. Diggle’s army buddies works for the FBI now and they got news tonight.”

“No,” Thea’s small voice drew his attention. Her eyes were filled with tears as she shook her head in denial.

“I’m very sorry,” Oliver said, guilty weighing on him for the lie he was telling to his family.

As expected, his mother dismissed quickly his information. “There must be some mistake,” She leaned toward him, her hand closing around his interlocked fingers. Oliver had to grasp onto his control to not lose it right then. “Who did Mr. Diggle talk to? Did they find the body?”

“Mom… Walter is dead,” he said with sadness, his heart constricting in the face of their misery. He hated himself for putting his family through hell just to serve his own agenda- even if it was for a good cause.

She shook her head, pulling away the blanket and sitting up quickly. “No, this isn’t right.”

She turned around quickly, striding out of the room.

“Wait, where is she going?” Thea asked, looking completely lost about what just happened. Oliver took a deep breath, sorrow engulfing his sense for his mother and his little sister.

“Come here,” he said pulling Thea in an embrace. He didn’t comfort his mother, but he could do it for his sister.

Depositing a soft kiss on her temple, he said: “I’ll go with her. It’s not good for her to be alone right now, okay?”

Thea didn’t reply, just bobbed her head in agreement. Slowly stepping out of the hug, Oliver went after his mother. It didn’t matter how long it took to follow her, he knew exactly where she was going.

 

* * *

  

It was past eleven p.m. when Oliver made it to Verdant. Without bothering to turn the lights on or change his clothes, he found the nearest wall and sagged against it. Sighing at the cool feeling of the cement on his back, Oliver slid to sit on the cold floor of the Foundry.

It had been two days since he’d arrived, and it was the first time he’d stopped to catch his breath, needing to before having to go through motions to stop Malcolm. He was in need of a few moments alone to collect himself if he wanted to move forward.

Though it had happened before, the night still took an emotional toll on Oliver. He’d felt himself slip several times despite being someone who kept his emotions staunchly under control – as Felicity had pointed out in the wake of Sara’s death, an accusation that still stung with truth, her apology notwithstanding. But after everything he had gone through, with the exception of his feelings for Felicity, expressing emotions overall didn’t come naturally to him. The fact that he had almost cried when he’d seen his mother tonight was proof that he was more in touch with his emotions than he’d thought he ever would be. His heart had ached just for putting them through crushing news, even if it’d be proved later to be wrong. He wished he could’ve stayed with Thea, but he had work to do.

He’d slipped out of the house, hopping onto his bike after suiting up to head to Malcolm’s office, where he knew his mother was about to confront Merlyn. Taking detours, Oliver had managed to arrive before his mother, listening to her accuse Malcolm of breaking their deal and killing Walter and the man denying it.

The first time Oliver eavesdropped on the conversation between them, he’d missed just how scared and trapped his mother had been by Merlyn. He’d only fixated on the fact that she was working with him. Now, the thought of his mother’s prolonged suffering at the hands of Malcolm Merlyn made his body shake in anger, and strengthened his resolve to find all the necessary information needed to stop Malcolm so that his mother would be free of his clutches.

It was the sharp clang of the door that snapped Oliver out of his reverie. The familiar sound of heels clicking down the stairs eased the weight that settled on his chest when he had gone to the mansion. Felicity’s presence brought déjà vu of two years ago, though initially he had somehow forgotten she’d come to Verdant that night.

He waited for the whirring sound of the lights being turned on to look in her direction. She looked more like the Felicity he’d left behind. She was wearing high-heels and, judging from her bare legs, she’d chosen a dress to match with her purple pea coat.

‘I’ve been sitting in the dark all night, too,” she said walking towards him. “All these months I kept thinking if I could find a clue, I could get…”

“Felicity,” he cut her off. “Walter’s alive.”

“What? But Alonzo said...”

“He’s alive,” he repeated. Sighing, he slowly got up and crossed the distance between them, his body mere inches from hers.

“After I told my mother of Walter’s death, she quickly left from the mansion,” he told her. ”I followed her and she went to Malcolm Merlyn. He has been coercing my mother to cooperate with the Undertaking. He got Walter kidnapped as assurance of her participation. When she accused Malcolm of breaking their deal and killing Walter, he denied it. He made a call at 10:30 p.m. and showed her that Walter was alive.”

Felicity blinked repeatedly, trying to digest the information Oliver had just dropped on her.

“Malcolm Merlyn? Your mother?” she asked in a small voice, incredulity reflecting in her eyes.

“Yes, Felicity,” he said seriously.

“That’s…huge.” He felt the soft touch of her hand slipping into his and squeezing his fingers. “How are you dealing with this?”

Oliver’s head tilted slightly to the side, taking her question in consideration.

Nothing that transpired in Malcolm’s office had been a surprise. Obviously, he’d long known the man was terrorizing his mother into accepting to be part of the Undertaking, using her family as way to assure her involvement. And yet, he could still feel rage and anger almost at his reach. If he’d given in to the impulses, there was no doubt in his mind that he’d broken into Merlyn’s office and killed him at first sight.

But he couldn’t do that. Not now, anyway. He needed to gather all the information he could, attaching Malcolm’s name to every single development of the Undertaking and turn it to the authorities to help his mother’s case.

“Oliver,” Felicity said, her grip tightening to draw his attention to her.

He offered her a not wholly convincing smile. “I’m managing. I’ll be fine.”

“You just found out your mother is being threatened by your father’s best friend, I can’t imagine what you…”

“Felicity,” he said, taking a step even closer to her. “It’s hard, but it’s what it is. I need to deal with it, but now is not the time. I can’t have my feelings get in the way of stopping what Merlyn has planned,” he determined. “So, I need you to pull up Malcolm’s phone records from his office and check the call he made at 10:30 p.m., please”

She stared at him for a beat before letting go of his arm, turning around to get to her computer. He followed her, standing behind and his hand resting on top of her chair while she looked for the information Oliver had requested.

“L.U.D.s showed that he made a call to a tenement complex located in Bludhaven,” she told him a couple of minutes later.

“Can you pull up a satellite view?”

She hummed in confirmation, images of street views from Starling appearing on the screen. Seconds later, they were staring at a picture of the place that was protected by a small army.

“That’s a lot of security for low-income housing,” Felicity commented. “There’s two guards stationed at all access points.”

“There’s just one on the roof,” Oliver muttered, the plan he used the first time around coming to mind.

“Exactly. There are no other buildings in that area. If you want to get onto the roof, you’re going to have to jump off of something,” she said, looking up to him, a hint of worry in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got something,” he promised. “I’ll be in and out without a single problem.”

With one last glance, he collected the necessary weapons to rescue Walter. Ten minutes later, he was out of the club, making his way to Bludhaven.

 

* * *

 

Getting Walter out of the place where he was being held went just as fast as the first time, and also like the first time, he encountered few problems. The first thing he did when they were out of the building was to call 911 from his burner phone and give emergency services a safe location to rescue him. As he watched Walter get inside the ambulance, he called Felicity.

“Walter is in the way to the hospital.”

“Everything went okay, then?” She asked in anxious voice.

“Exactly like I planned,” he reassured her.

“Good. At least, one good thing happened this week,” she grumbled.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Are you home?”

“Hmm… Why?” She asked, sounding a bit surprise at his question.

He smiled.

“Because I think you should go home and rest. Maybe eat some mint chocolate chip ice cream to unwind.”

“How did know that I wanted to do that?!” She questioned, confused.

Oliver froze at his slip. He closed his eyes, rubbing impatiently his forehead at his misstep. This Oliver wouldn’t have known about Felicity’s eating habits. Shit, keeping his mouth shut was proving to be a real challenge.

“It’s a hunch,” he lied. “You seem like the type that stress eats. Am I wrong?”

She hesitated. “No, you’re not. You were scarily accurate. Don’t tell me you wield both a bow and arrows and The Second Sight,” she teased.

He chuckled softly.

“No Second Sight, I’m just really good to pin down people, I guess,” he lied. The soft laughter she left out eased the apprehension he was feeling. Sighing in relief, he knew she wasn’t suspecting anything unusual was going.

Crisis averted.

“Go to sleep, Felicity,” he said. “Sweet dreams,” he whispered before hanging up, not giving Felicity time to reply.

He needed to go back to Verdant and clean up. Shortly, his mother would call him to deliver the good news. He needed to be ready for what was about to come.

 

* * *

 

Oliver smiled at the picture his family made when he entered Walter’s hospital room. Both his mother and sister were close to Walter, though Oliver chose to stay by the feet of the bed, watching them. The first time around, Oliver had felt a bit like an outsider, like he didn’t quite belong to that family dynamic. When he first came back from Lian Yu, he was emotionally distant, which cost him a lot from his relationships, pre-Island or not.

The five months Oliver had spent in Lian Yu by choice had given him enough of time to reflect about the things he wished he had done better or do over. One of them was reconnecting with his family, which to date hadn’t been successful. There were so many secrets and lies to be uncovered yet that it left him feeling disheartened. Maybe now that he knew about his mother’s sacrifices and how their lies drove Thea away and straight to Malcolm’s clutches, he could stop those horrific things before they happened.

As lost in thought he was, a female figure in his peripheral vision draw his attention. Quickly, he turned his head and saw Felicity standing at the doorway. She held a vase of flowers with a soft smile gracing her face as she watched Thea and his mother hugging Walter.

“This is totally a family thing, isn’t it?” She said, announcing her arrival to the people in the room. Everyone turned to look at her.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” His mother asked, confused.

Oliver strode to Felicity’s side, his hand settling in her lower back before pulling her closer to his body as he faced his family.

“This is Felicity,” he explained. “She’s my friend.”

He watched his mother fix her gaze momentarily at the place he was touching Felicity, her eyes meeting his in a silent question before turning back to Walter when he spoke.

“Mine, too,” he said with a firm nod. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” she replied, her smile widening. “I’ll let you guys get back to your hugging.”

At Felicity’s advice, Thea and Moira hugged Walter at the same time. Oliver smiled at the picture they created before his eyes met Felicity’s, who smiled softly at him. Before she could turn to go, his hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her.

“Wait,” he whispered. Looking back to his family, he said, “I’m going to go get something to eat. Do you want me to bring something back?”

Thea and Moira turned to face him, his mother sending him a disapproving look while Thea seemed puzzled. He ignored them, choosing to do what he wanted the most at the moment and that was spend some alone time with Felicity. After the week he’d had, the only person who could put him at ease was her.

“No, thanks,” both said at the same time.

With a last glance, he moved towards the door, pulling Felicity with him. She followed him silently until they were heading out of the hospital toward the parking lot.

“Did something happen?” she asked, apprehensively.

“No,” he assured her with a soft smile. “Just needed some time out after… everything.”

She nodded. “Okay, well I should let you to it, then.”

His brows knitted together, shaking his head. “No, come with me.”

She inclined her head, surprise reflecting in her eyes.

“I was thinking about going to that small café close to Queen Consolidated that has your favorite blueberry muffin, what do you say?”

Surprise is replaced by bewilderment as she stared at him. “How do you…”

“At least twice per week, you come into the Foundry holding a paper bag from there. It always leave the room smelling like blueberries,” he explained.

Felicity blinked repeatedly. “I had no idea you were paying attention to that.”

“I always pay attention to you,” he declared softly. She swallowed thickly, before nodding.

“I’d like a couple of muffins and coffee. So much coffee,” she added in a lower voice, making Oliver smile.

“I’ll get you the biggest cup from that place,” he promised.

“You’re full of surprises, Oliver,” Felicity said with an appreciative look.

“Why do you say that?”

“Inviting me for coffee to relax,” she shrugged. “Never thought I’d see you doing something for your pleasure alone.” Her eyes widened slightly, Oliver waiting for the babble that was about to happen. “Not that you don’t do anything for pleasure! I’m pretty sure you’re great at pleasure,” she squeezed her eyes shut, clamping her lips. “And I’m going to shut up now,” she finished, mortified.

Oliver suppressed a smile, shaking his head in amusement. “I can do things for pleasure. Right now I want to do you.”

Felicity’s eyes snapped open in shock, as Oliver’s widened in abash. He shook his head vehemently. “I-I mean, getting coffee with you is a…”

“ _I’m_ supposed to be the one without a filter,” she commented, her embarrassment being replaced by a serious expression. “Not you. You don’t do this,” she shook her head, seeming bewildered at his words.

Taking in her reaction, his shoulders slumbered. “I-I’m sorry, I wasn’t making fun of you. I just - I love spending my time with you,” he mended. “Going out to get coffee and relax for a couple of hours would be… great.”

Felicity fluttered her eyelids at him, taken aback by his confession. “Really? I’d have never guessed.” 

The confused look he sent her made her add. “I mean… don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t think you’d want to spend extra time hanging out with me. After working hours by my side, I mean.”

Oliver had to make a Herculean effort to not flinch under her scrutiny. He forgot how mission driven he’d been back then. He never spared any free time to just be with his friends, Felicity included. The familiar feeling of guilt engulfed him as the reminder of just how off he was when he’d first returned. And as quickly as it had come, the regret was gone, replaced with determination to show everyone, especially Facility, that he was a changed man for the better.

“I’m not great at… showing emotions, but I really lo-like being around you,” he said, holding her gaze. “And you’re right, I’m not very good at… relaxing. But today we’re celebrating Walter’s return, and I wouldn’t have been able to find him without you. So I want to celebrate with you. Only you.”

A moment of silence passed between them. Felicity looked hesitant before she assented, the smile she offered him not as lively as he was used to.

“Come on, let’s get those muffins and coffee,” he said, ignoring her reaction as he let go of her wrist and settling his hand at her lower back. “I need to be back in two hours.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you enjoy it?! I hope you did! I had SO MUCH FUN writing everything, but specially the Olicity moments ;D Now, let's talk a bit, ok?
> 
> First, the good news! The next chapter is already done and it'll be online May 30 - if my beta doesn't have any problems of course. But better yet, if you're also waiting for "I've never felt so at home (when you are right by my side)" to update, the good news is that I'll update it on May 23. Great, right?! I'm trying to deal with my thesis, uni classes and fics updates, so my life is crazy! 
> 
> Talking about crazy life!!! The finale was A-MA-ZING! God knows I had so MANY problems with this season, but the finale? I truly enjoyed it. And Oliver and Felicity went away together in a very fanfic style. I LOVED IT! Did you love it too? I hope so :D
> 
> Talking abut Oliver and Felicity together... Me and a friend are planning to host Olicity Fluff Meme on Tumblr during the hiatus. The blog is not ready yet, we plan to post everything tomorrow, but you can already follow it over there. Here is the link: http://olicityfluff.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> See you soon, guys :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The biggest THANK YOU to effie214, awriterincowboyboots and dedication2em! Without these three amazing women, this chapter wouldn't be here!
> 
> First of all, I want to say I'm so sorry it took me this long to update! Last weekend I was going to post it, but my dog got really sick and I wasn't in the best place to update cause I didn't leave his side. At all. And then college happened and well, you know how it is! But it's here! FINALLY!
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it! This chapter is my favorite so far, so I hope you'll love it as much as I did writing it ♥ And again, I promise I'll reply every single amazing comment I got when I have some free time. You guys have no idea how MUCH I appreciate every single word you left to me here! Never stop being this amazing! Your words inspire me to write, so leave a comment even if it's just a 'great chapter!' It helps a lot :)
> 
> Anyway, I will leave you to read this new chapter! I'll see you soon!

“I think I could write a book filled with funny stories about tech support,” Felicity decided, trying to muffle her laughter so she wouldn’t disturb the other customers in the cafe. Oliver just grinned at her.

“Tell me another one,” he said leaning on the table, eyes fixed on her face. She blinked repeatedly, a blush tinging her cheeks.

“Really?”

Oliver tilted his head at her uncertain tone. “Of course. I like hearing your stories.”

She watched him for a moment, considering, and then broke into a full smile. “Okay.”

They had been at the coffee shop for some time now; how long, Oliver wasn’t quite sure, and he wasn’t anxious to find out. This time over coffee with Felicity was the best time he’d shared with her since their one and only date - before it literally went up in flames. Although, at first, an awkward atmosphere had hovered over them, Oliver was able to dissolve it quickly thanks to his extensive knowledge of all things Felicity Smoak.

He understood that the awkwardness came from Felicity’s uncertainty regarding his behavior. She was used to an Oliver who was always chasing the next mission, the next target, a single minded-man that could only think about fulfilling his father’s dying wish. It was probably confusing for Felicity to have the Oliver she knew inviting her for brunch to celebrate one of his victories.

Past Oliver was an idiot for wasting so many opportunities to be around Felicity. Good thing he was there now and would take advantage of every single free moment he had with her - starting with this brunch.

“Well, two weeks ago I get this email from one of the executives: ‘Dear Tech person, I can’t send e-mail. Please help me!’”

Oliver raised his brows in surprise, letting out a laugh of disbelief. “How did you answer that?”

“I called his office and told him I got his email, so whatever issue he was having was gone by then,” Felicity said bringing her coffee mug to her lips.

Oliver shook his head, a smile fixed on his lips as he watched her. Felicity kept drinking her coffee, her face scrunched up in concentration, eyes never leaving his face.

“Felicity, this is me noticing you staring,” he observed with a playful smile. “What is it?”

She set the mug back on table, shrugging as she swallowed her coffee. “Nothing,” she shook her head. “Just...I’ve never seen you like this before.”

He frowned, tilting his head in a silent question.

“Relaxed,” she explained after a moment of trying to find the right word. “It’s a good look on you. You should try it more.”

“Well, if you come with me and help me relax, I certainly will,” he commented offhandedly, tearing off a piece of the top of the muffin in his plate, popping it into his mouth.

His lips quirked up at the astonished look on Felicity’s face. He had brought her to the coffee shop to show her they could have a great time together. He wanted her to see someone beyond the grumpy man she had known for the last few months - which was so far from the man he was now. He had wanted her to know, without a doubt, that he enjoyed spending time with her outside crime fighting.

“I can do that,” she granted with light eyes.

“Good,” he grinned at her, their eyes locking up in an intense gaze.

He couldn’t wait to have more opportunities to be with Felicity, even if it was just to grab a cup of coffee and listen to her to talk. Because he wasn’t talkative, most people would think he was indulging Felicity’s fondness to chatter and the whole time his mind just drifted off. But the opposite happened.

He clung to every word she’d said, her penchant to ramble drawing him in. Oliver had a short list of things that soothed him; Felicity’s soft and melodic voice had always been one of them. And it wasn’t just about her voice. When she was really enthusiastic about whatever she was talking about her cheeks would turn pink, a big smile graced her lips as her eyes shone in excitement. He loved being the one responsible to bring that expression to her face.

It was the sound of his phone chiming that broke the moment. Offering her an apologetic smile, he checked his phone. It was his sister.

“Thea asked me to bring her a latte and a muffin because she’s getting hungry,” he announced, locking down his phone.

“Yeah, it’s getting late. You stayed out longer than you planned.”

Oliver shrugged off. “It’s fine.”

He signaled at the waitress to come to their table. Quickly, he requested for his sister’s take out. As soon as the waitress was out of the ear shot, Felicity spoke.

“So, are you planning to talk to Diggle today?” She asked in a nonchalant way.

“His apartment will be my first stop after I spend some time with my family today,” he said as he finished his coffee.

“Really?”

“Felicity, I want to make amends with Diggle as much as you want me to make them. I’ll talk to him and apologize,” he reassured her.

“Okay,” she nodded. “I believe you,” she offered him a smile so bright that made his stomach flutter. Swallowing down the sensation, he offered a tight-lipped smile.

“Here it is,” the waitress said, drawing his attention.

“Thank you,” he said as he took the take out bag from her hand. “Let’s go?” He asked Felicity, who just nodded before getting up.

“I can drop you at the hospital,” she offered as they walked side by side towards the exit of the coffee shop.

Considering she had dark circles under her eyes and was slouching in her chair a couple of minutes ago, she was more tired than she wanted to let on, Oliver shook his head.

“Thank you, but no need for that. Go home and rest, I’ll take a cab.”

He held the door open to let Felicity pass, trailing behind her as she went to her car. She turned around to look at him, seeming surprised to find him so close she almost stumbled into him. He took a step back with an awkward laugh, his hands settling on each side of her arms, putting a few inches of distance between them.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she brushed off with an amused smile.

“See you later?” He asked, fidgeting a bit under her gaze. He didn’t want the moment between them to end, not just yet.

“Of course,” she said smiling softly.

He nodded quietly, his eyes roaming her face, taking her in. “Thank you, Felicity.”

“For what?” She asked, a crease forming between her brows.

“For...helping me.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied with a gleam in her eyes.

Oliver swallowed down at the picture she made. Her cheeks were rosy, her plump lips painted purple made her look more enticing than usual.  Feeling the burning desire to lean down and capture her lips in a kiss, he bent over to kiss her cheek. If he couldn’t kiss her lips, he definitely could settle for the second best thing.

He closed his eyes at the feeling of her warm flesh against his mouth. It wasn’t just a brush of lips like a cordial kiss when you met someone for the first time. He let his lips linger, appreciating her sweet scent and soft skin. He heard her breath hitch in surprise, her body tensing up for a second before relaxing. Slowly, he leaned back to look at her, his stomach churning at her obvious bewilderment.

He cleared his throat, releasing her arms as he took a step back. “I will let you go now.”

“Bye, Oliver,” she waved at him, confusion still reflecting in her eyes.

“Bye, Felicity.” 

With one last glance, she turned around and went to the driver’s side. He caught her frown and the shake of her head, muttering quietly to herself all of which he knew was a reaction to the chaste kiss. 

He shouldn’t have done it, old Oliver certainly wouldn’t have, but keeping himself in line around her was harder than he’d expected. While back home he had to do that because of his choice, here they weren’t living under the shadows of his bad decisions. He was free to show his feelings for her without getting a dirty look but at the same time, displaying how he felt was causing her confusion and that wasn’t something he wanted. He needed to find a balance and the sooner the better.

Keeping that in mind, he watched her drive away until her car disappeared around a corner then hailed a cab and headed back to Starling City General.

 

* * *

 

He spent a couple of hours with his family before he slipped out and made his way to Dig’s apartment.

He heard the chain unlock as Dig undid the latch, the door opening in a swift move. Oliver was met with Dig’s pursed lips, an exasperated sigh leaving his lips before he spoke.

“I guess you do know where I live.”

Oliver’s shoulder slumped. “I’ve always known where you live.”

Dig turned his head to the side, averting his eyes as he raised his eyebrows.

“May I?” He asked, bringing Dig’s attention back to him. Dig just took a look before waving him in with a silent invitation.

Oliver took a couple of steps, stopping right in front of Dig. With a heavy sigh and with regret in his voice, he said “I’m sorry.”

Their eyes locked for a moment before Oliver moved forward and Dig closed the door behind them. The last time Oliver had been in Dig’s home Sara’s toys had been scattered around the floor, Lyla’s coat over the couch and several plates on the coffee table.

Now, the apartment resembled a bachelor pad and a pang of sadness hit Oliver for what Diggle was missing. And then he reminded himself Dig wouldn’t be missing out on it for too long; if he remembered right Lyla would come back into Dig’s life at the end of 2013.

Taking a deep breath, Oliver turned to face his friend, gathering strength to make this apology right, “You were right and I was wrong.”

Dig pressed his lips in a thin line, crossing his arms and staring impassively at Oliver, “About Deadshot?”

“About everything, including Deadshot.”

Diggle sent him a surprised look, but remained silent, letting Oliver speak.

“I shouldn’t have let my brother in arms go in battle alone.”

Dig huffed, shaking his head. “That’s a military saying, you know.”

“It doesn’t make it any less true,” Oliver said with a rueful smile.

Dig assented, a silent question appearing in his eyes.

“My mother is involved in the Undertaking,” he said aloud. “She’s working with Malcolm Merlyn under duress.”

Dig looked up to the ceiling before his eyes fell upon Oliver again. He knew if Dig was a lesser man he’d have said ‘I told you so’. He remembered Dig kept insisting to Oliver that they investigate his mother, but being the stubborn ass Felicity always accused him of being, he didn’t do it. Maybe if he had, it he could’ve avoided the Undertaking the first time around.

“He’s planning something terrible with my mother’s help and we need to find out what. We… I need you to help us stop them, Dig,” he paused briefly, sending him a significant look. “We can’t do this without you, man.”

Dig’s eyes widened in surprise, his mouth slightly ajar, astonished at Oliver’s declaration. Something about Dig and Felicity’s reactions when he acted in a way they didn’t expect made his stomach flip over uncomfortably. He knew he hadn’t been in a good place when he’d first came back, but witnessing the evidence of his past behavior, of how are hard and closed off he’d been was something else.

Dig took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Fine,” he said belatedly. “Let me grab my jacket and we can go to Verdant to put together a plan.”

Oliver offered him a tight-lipped smile with a curt nod. “Yeah, of course. Felicity is already waiting for us.”

Oliver watched Dig grab his jacket, his keys and wallet. They walked out his apartment in silence, making their way to Dig’s car. Fifteen minutes later, they were driving toward the Glades to meet Felicity.

 

* * *

 

Whatever weirdness Oliver was afraid to encounter when he met Felicity in the Foundry after the impromptus kiss on the cheek, it wasn’t there when he arrived with Diggle. Felicity looked elated to see that Diggle was back. She greeted them with a wide smile and a simple wave of the hand.

Easily, they fell into the familiarity of their dynamic. Diggle was sitting on a stool a few meters from where Oliver sat as he faced Felicity on her chair, who quietly looked at them while they discussed what they should do next. It felt good having something which made him feel closer to home for the first time since he’d arrived in the past. 

“We should put Moira under surveillance and see what comes up,” Diggle suggested, a serious look on his face as he observed Oliver carefully.

Oliver sighed, scratching the back of his head in frustration. No, they needed to hurry up and get things done faster than the first time around. Spying on his mother would take days and it’d be fruitless. They needed to act immediately.

“No,” he said.

“Oliver,” Diggle started with a warning voice.

“Diggle, we need quick answers,” Oliver cut him off in a determined tone. “We don’t know what timetable we are working against. Putting my mother under surveillance may be a waste of time.”

“What do you suggest we do instead?” Felicity asked, drawing Oliver’s attention to her tight, yellow lace dress and it hit him how beautiful she looked.

Well, she always looked beautiful, but she was particularly stunning as she sat in her chair in the damp darkness of the lair like a candle softly glowing in the shadows. Shaking off the hint of desire which buzzed around his senses and into his veins he said, “I have to ask her.”

“Wow, no!” Felicity blurted out, an inkling of panic in her tone. Quickly, she was out of her seat and striding towards him. Once she’d closed the distance between them, he got up and their bodies brushed against each other. He inhaled deeply when Felicity’s warm hand wrapped around one of his biceps.

“The last time the vigilante paid your mom a visit, you got shot and I got to play doctor with you.”

Oliver saw her flinch and before she could backtrack, he took her free hand into his and looked at her.

“If something happens, you can play doctor with me again when I come back,” he said in a resolute tone even as she blinked in confusion as if she wasn’t sure what to make of his promise. “But nothing will happen, Felicity. It’ll be a friendly chat where Diggle is the one asking the questions to make sure we get an honest answer,” he explained, giving Diggle a significant look over Felicity’s shoulder.

Instead of understanding, he saw a frown on Diggle’s face, his eyes sliding between and where he was touching Felicity. If Oliver was a lesser man he’d have dropped Felicity’s hand immediately, but he tightened his grip instead and in response he felt Felicity squeeze his arm, drawing his eyes back on her.

Without taking his eyes off of Felicity, he told Diggle, “You’ll suit up and get the tranquilizer darts. She’ll come back from the hospital soon and when she gets home I’ll get her alone. Then you’ll ‘kidnap’ us and bring us both to the empty warehouse I told you about a while back and we’ll get our answers.”

As Felicity listened to his plan, a slight crease between her brows appeared, worry reflecting in her eyes.

“I’ll come back in one piece,” he promised in a lower voice than he spoke to Dig previously.

He looked at her expectantly and then, as if she finally caught on that he’d only move if she understood what he said, she nodded slowly. He offered her a tight smile before letting his fingers slide down her hand before he finally let go.

He looked at Dig one final time, who was watching him with narrowed eyes and crossed arms. Not letting his friend’s stance get to him, Oliver just nodded at him before turning around and walking away.

He needed to get home and mentally prepare himself for what would come next.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t matter he’d already lived through it once, getting his mother kidnapped and forcing her into confessing her involvement in the Undertaking was just as hard as the first time. Still, things needed to be done for the greater. Even though it filled him with dread to put his mother in that position, especially after he already put her through hell the night before when he lied about Walter’s death. Until he was done with the Undertaking, he’d have to put his mother through more heartache and there was a big part that hated himself for that.

As soon as he dropped his mother at home, confession obtained, he went straight to the Foundry.

“Oh, my God!” Felicity sounded horrified as she stepped towards him. “You said you were going to pull your punches!” She threw a hard look at Dig over her shoulder.

She reached Oliver quickly, her hand wrapping around his elbow, pulling him closer to her. She raised her other hand as if she was going to cup his cheek, but pulled away the last second much to Oliver’s disappointment.

How long had it been since he’d felt her reach out and touch him? It felt like years and as dramatic as it sounded, it felt like he would never get a chance to feel her arms wrap around him again.

“I did!” Diggle defended himself.

“Let me get you an icepack for… everything,” she suggested as she ignored their friend’s reply, taking a step back from Oliver. Immediately, he cupped her elbow, shaking his head.

“I think I want antiseptic first.”

She pressed her lips in a tight line before nodding. “Come on,” she indicated with a tilt of her head that she wanted him to follow her. “Sit,” she said, patting the back of the chair close to the med table.

Oliver avoided looking at Diggle as he walked towards the place Felicity pointed to. He could feel the weight of Dig’s eyes on him. He didn’t want to see the judgmental look on his friend’s face. Not right then.

He observed Felicity moving around to gather the supplies and soon she was standing in front of him, ready to take care of his wounds.

Softly, she cleaned the injury next to his eyes, making him hiss at the sting of the antiseptic. At his reaction, she blew lightly on the cut to ease the pain. Oliver tried to smile at her, but ended up wincing at the sharp pain in his jaw thanks to Dig’s right hook.

“I can’t believe you’re letting me do this,” she whispered, her gaze zeroing in his chin.

“I promised you I’d let you play doctor with me if I got hurt,” he shrugged.

She huffed out loud. “I can’t believe you just said that. Again.”

“You said it first,” he teased. She stiffened at his words and he mentally cursed himself. When their gazes met, whatever Felicity saw in his face made her relax enough to offer him a hesitant smile.

“What I meant to say is that I didn’t imagine you’d actually let me take care of you,” she said corrected quietly, her gaze fixed on his.

Oliver sighed, tilting his head slightly, and considered his next words carefully.

“You’re my partner, Felicity,” he paused, studying her face for a brief moment. “Taking care of each other comes with the territory.”

Her brows raised in surprise, her mouth falling open in a silent ‘oh’. Oliver wanted to pull her into his chest and tell her how much she meant to him, tell her he would do anything if she just asked. Instead he remained still, and watched her as she processed what he’d just told her.

“Well, er… um... ” she spluttered, clearing her throat. “That’s good.  Y-you should let someone take care of you.”

“And there’s nobody better for that than you,” he said softly. He watched her swallow nervously at his words, cheeks becoming tinted pink under his intense gaze.

Before Oliver could add something else, Diggle clearing his throat drew their attention back to him.

“As heartwarming a moment as this is, Felicity you should start digging up about everything you can related to Unidac Industries,” Diggle told her.

Felicity looked back at him, giving him an apologetic smile. Before she stepped away she handed him an ice pack, then moved towards her work station. Without prompting, he trailed after her.

“Well, we know Queen Consolidated acquired them seven months ago,” she said as she sat on her chair with Oliver right by her side. Throwing a look over her shoulder to him, she smiled before she said “That’s when we met.”

Grinning at her he shook his head. “Like I could forget that.”

He glanced at Diggle and the way he was crossing his arms, sending Oliver a serious look made him straighten up and rectify his slip. “But I need information about what I don’t know.”

With a few keystrokes Felicity had multiple windows opened on her screen, a dizzying amount of information flooding her system.

“Unidac is a small research and development technology company that specializes in seismic infringement,” she read.

“Merlyn plans on leveling the Glades with a device that triggers a man made earthquake,” Oliver disclosed, looking down at her.

“You’re kidding,” she said in disbelief.

He shook his head. “And what else does it say?”

“Nothing, just more information on the stock auction.”

Oliver sighed exasperated, scratching his scruff. They needed to keep Merlyn away from the devices, starting now.

“We’ll keep watch on Unidac,” he told them. “Felicity, keep an eye on the cameras close to the building, see if you can catch something out of ordinary. Diggle and I will keep the company under surveillance during the night. Merlyn will definitely try something in the next few days and then we will stop him.”

“How can you be so sure?” Diggle asked skeptically.

He looked at his friend, swallowing down the words that were at the tip of his tongue. He was sure saying ‘the first time I lived through this Merlyn robbed the company’ wasn’t the answer his friend was expecting.

“After you slipped out, my mother told me so,” he lied.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, it took a moment for Diggle to nod in agreement and Oliver felt a slight pang at lying to his brother-in-arms.

“Surveillance it is, then,” Felicity said, looking at him with a softer expression than she’d given him recently and without thinking about it he gave her an equally soft smile in return.

But he knew the next few days were going to be really long because if there was one thing Oliver hated doing was waiting something to happen.


	5. Interlude 01

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to say thanks to [honorthedeadbyfighting](http://honorthedeadbyfighting.tumblr.com/), [awriterincowboyboots](http://awriterincowboyboots.tumblr.com/), [yellowflicker09011996](http://yellowflicker09011996.tumblr.com/) and [jsevick](http://jsevick.tumblr.com/) for all the help you guys offered me. From discussing plot points to editing, this chapter is here thanks to you, guys! You’re the best!
> 
> Have a good time reading this new chapter! **Don't forget to leave me a review with your thoughts/excitement/just acknowledge if you enjoyed this story. I appreciate all the comments! They feed my soul!**

_Fire. Smoke. Debris. Flickering lights._

_That’s all Oliver could see._

_Apprehension flooded his senses as he looked around and saw destruction surrounding him._

_For a fleeting second, he didn’t recognize where he was until the familiar voice calling his name drew his attention to the floor._

_His stomach dropped at the sight of Tommy impaled by a concrete reinforcement bar, bleeding out on the floor of CNRI, and suddenly he knew when and where he was. While some things had faded from his mind with time, witnessing this moment once again brought back the memory of the acrid smell of smoke, the heat of the flames and the shifting of dirt and debris beneath his feet._

_He was reliving one of the worst moments of his life._

_“No, no, no,” Oliver said, shaking his head and falling to his knees in front of Tommy. “Y-you are alive right now. I still have time to save you. You’ll be fine.”_

_“Fine?” Tommy asked, hurling the word like an accusation even though showing any type of emotion must have cost a great deal of pain. “You’re planning to kill my father and you think I’ll be fine?”_

_Oliver flinched at Tommy’s accusation, but was unable to deny it. Choking back the burn of the tears that were forming behind his eyes, Oliver started talking._

_“I have to, Tommy. He was the reason I lost my father and ended up shipwrecked. He committed genocide. He ruined my mother’s life, he constantly exploits Speedy for his own gain, to the point that he even orchestrated Sara’s death.” He spit his words, hatred lacing every syllable he spoke. “I cannot let him live. If he dies, most of the tragedies surrounding our families and this city can be avoided.”_

_“Then you’re every single bit the murderer he is,” Tommy answered him, his eyes filled with revulsion._

_Seeing that look again in his friend’s face, close to the way Tommy had looked at him when he found out Oliver was the Hood, shattered his heart once more. He wanted Tommy to understand, even though Oliver knew he lacked the proper words to explain it to his friend._

_Oliver shook his head forcibly, the tears finally sliding down his face. “I am not. I’m not that person anymore.”_

_“If y-you follow your plan to kill Malcolm, you still a-are,” Tommy said with a hard look, his labored breath making him stammer around the words he wanted to say. “It’s my f-father, Oliver. It’s T-Thea’s father. He’s family and you don’t kill f-family. There are other ways to get justice done.”_

_Oliver opened and closed his mouth, one of his hands reaching to clutch at the fabric of Tommy’s shirt. “T-Tommy, please I…”_

_“Oliver, don’t you dare…” Tommy’s mouth fell open mid-sentence, trying to catch his breath. He opened his mouth again, but this time no sound came out. Oliver noticed the movement of his chest slowing down, the glimmer of life in his eyes fading away as his body went limp in front of Oliver._

_“No, no, no,” Oliver cried, shaking his head as he pressed his forehead to Tommy’s arm. “Tommy!”_  

 

* * *

 

Oliver startled awake, sitting up in bed, his heart hammering wildly in his chest.

“It was a dream,” Oliver muttered to himself, scrubbing his hands across his face which was drenched in sweat. “It was just a dream.”

He took several deep breaths in an attempt to slow his pulse, failing to appease his trepidation. When meditation didn’t work, he gave up on lying down and sat on the edge of his bed, reaching for his cellphone on the nightstand.

Activating the device, Oliver was surprised to see the digital clock read 1:35 p.m. He had slept for seven hours nonstop, which was the longest he’d spent sleeping in the four days since he arrived.  

It had been so long since he’d a nightmare which was reminiscent of the horrible night Tommy had died in his arms. Back then, the lie he’d told Tommy on what amounted to his deathbed, about not killing Malcolm, had crushed him.

The lie had been intended to spare his best friend the heartbreak and disappointment of knowing Oliver was the one responsible for his father’s death, but the guilt still weighed on him for deceiving Tommy in his last minutes.

For months he’d carried that particular burden on his shoulders, until he’d found out Malcolm was actually alive and the load of his guilt got lighter. Not that it mattered for long as he quickly figured out that, while he hadn’t actually killed Malcolm, letting him live had become not only a death sentence to many people including Sara, but also the end of his little sister’s innocence and the life it had taken so long to Oliver build.  

And yet, even knowing Malcolm’s demise would have avoided so many tragedies, the remembrance of Tommy’s last wish plagued him now.

Oliver shut his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to rein in his thoughts.

If he killed Malcolm he’d lose his best friend for good, without a chance to recover their broken relationship. If he let Malcolm live, the chances were his plans were still likely to happen, as Oliver doubted any prison in the world would be able to hold him. Well, ARGUS definitely could, but Oliver didn’t trust someone with Malcolm’s intelligence around an organization like ARGUS. It was a risk Oliver wasn’t willing to take.   
  
What wouldn’t he give to have his Diggle and his Felicity around to talk to him through this decision he felt too lost to make. Not that he couldn’t infer their possible response, he’d known them for too long not to know what they’d say; Diggle would tell him to find an alternative while Felicity...Nobody hated Malcolm more than she did – _does._  She wouldn’t ask Oliver to kill Malcolm knowing his relationship with Tommy was at stake, but he was aware that’d be exactly what she’d want.  
  
Like Sara once told him, to stop the unthinkable, sometimes you need to make a huge sacrifice. He just wasn’t sure if he was willing to throw away his second chance with Tommy - a prospect he hadn’t actually considered since he arrived in the past.  
  
In the four days he’d been back, only three times he’d considered what being back in 2013 meant. He had worked nonstop since then and just now the possibility of actually repairing his relationship with his oldest friend dawned on him.   
  
Now the question was what would he do?  
  
Sighing, Oliver stared at his phone screen, smiling softly at the image in front of him. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t realized he’d opened Felicity’s contact file and her picture was now facing him. Right then, he was taken by a need to hear Felicity’s voice, so without further reflection, he hit the call button and waited for her to pick up.  
  
“Oliver, hey,” she greeted him, faint surprise in her voice. “Is everything okay?”  
  
“Yeah.” He shook his head, trying to come up with a possible reason for calling her. He forgot that, although this Felicity wasn’t upset with him, she also wasn’t used to him giving her a call just because. “I just…wanted to talk to you, I guess.”  
  
“Oh.” She paused briefly. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean…” Oliver fidgeted on his mattress, rubbing his hand against his sweatpants. “Is that alright? Are you busy? I can hang up if…”  
  
“No!” Felicity interrupted him forcibly. “It’s fine, I was just...surprised. You never call me just because. That’s new.”  
  
“And is that good?”   
  
“Yeah, it is,” she said softly, making Oliver smile. He bet she was fiddling with whatever tech was in her vicinity as she spoke to him, an easy smile on her purple painted lips. “So, how is your day?”  
  
“Oh you know,” he shrugged. “Just caught some sleep after I got home yesterday. What about you?”  
  
“Work, work and more work because my supervisor is an incompetent jackass who bought his diploma. It’s the only explanation for someone to be so awful at his job. No one who actually studied computer science is that bad.”

Oliver tried to muffle his laughter at Felicity’s exasperation, but he was unsuccessful.   
  
“Oh God,” Felicity said in that tone of voice she always used when she realized she may have crossed a line. “I probably shouldn’t have said that to you, I mean your name is on...”  
  
“Felicity,” he cut her off before she lost herself in one of her ramblings. “My family owns the company, not me. I’m not the CEO. You can complain about whatever you need to. I’m your friend before anything else.”  
  
On the other end of the line Felicity sighed. “Okay. Good. Nice to hear that. I really don’t want to be responsible for anyone’s dismissal.” She paused before adding in a whisper, “Even if they deserve it.”  
  
Oliver shook his head, happy to hear Felicity speak so freely with him. After months without it, her ramblings and complaints sounded like music to his ears. He missed what they had before he screwed up. He missed her.  
  
“Do you want to grab dinner later?” Oliver asked before he could stop himself. “You sound a little stressed, so...maybe dinner with me could help you relax. What do you think?”  
  
There was a pause before Felicity finally spoke. “Yeah, sure. Of course, yes. I would love to grab dinner with you. How about Big Belly?”  
  
Oliver considered her question for a second. Big Belly was the team’s place to hang out when they had free time. Even though it wasn’t a date, Oliver didn’t want to have dinner with Felicity at a fast food restaurant they’d been at a dozen times before. He needed something just for the two of them.

“I was thinking Mediterranean, actually.”   
  
“Oh, you want to go to Taverna Plaka?”  
  
“Taverna Plaka?” Oliver asked, trying to remember if they have ever gone to that particular restaurant during his time as CEO.  
  
“It’s a new restaurant. They’ve got a bunch of positive reviews since they opened and it’s Mediterranean food.”  
  
“All right, ” He agreed. “Do I have to make reservations or…?”  
  
“It’s a normal restaurant, Oliver. Not Table Salt.”  
  
“Right, so I just meet you there?”  
  
“Yeah,” she confirmed. “I’ll be off around 6, I’ll get there quickly. It’s just two blocks away from Queen Consolidated.”    
  
“Okay then. I’ll see you soon.”  
  
“Bye, Oliver.”  
  
At the sound of Felicity hanging up, Oliver sighed and laid down again in his bed.  
  
Maybe it was imprudent to invite Felicity to dinner with him so soon. He knew originally it had taken them almost two years to share a meal somewhere which wasn’t Big Belly, but who cared?

It wasn’t like Felicity knew he wasn’t following the original course of their story or that someone existed to stop him from rewriting their past. So, if he wanted to dine with her, that’s exactly what he was going to do. He was so tired of denying himself what he wanted the most. And there wasn’t anything in the world that he wanted more than Felicity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK IN MARCH LIKE I PROMISED :D It took me a lot of tears, Hamilton and Fall Out Boy, but I managed to write his whole chapter this month. It was really hard to come back to this point after many months without writing anything but my dissertation - that I finished with success and my advisor liked it. Now I'm just waiting for the grade so I'll officially be a historian and teacher.
> 
> Anyway! I know this chapter is shorter than usual, but it's a set up for the next one and also a look at Oliver's mind set - which I think is important to understand his decisions from now on. I thought we lacked some of that in the last four chapters. I think now I'm in a good place and will try to update more often. Let's pray I manage to do that, for now it looks I'll be able to do that :)
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter and is a tumblr user, consider reblogging [this fic over there](http://ohmypreciousgirl.tumblr.com/post/141820897787/special-thanks-to-awriterincowboyboots-jsevick).

**Author's Note:**

> This plot lived inside my brain since [I posted about it back in January 2015 on my tumblr](http://ohmypreciousgirl.tumblr.com/post/108125149802/this-gifset-reminds-me-this-idea-that-has-been-on). Never expected that I'd actually follow through and write it, but here we are. 
> 
> I wanted to see Oliver fixing everything wrong that happened in his life back in 2012 and that's exactly what I want to write. That and s03!Oliver dealing with a Felicity who is just attracted to him and nothing more because you gotta love the angst, okay? 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll share your thoughts! They help a lot. Comments are really important to me! Not just for feedback, but actually knowing if people are interested in reading this. How can I know if we don't talk to each other?! Also, kudos are always appreciated too :)
> 
> Say hello to me @ tumblr: [ohmypreciousgirl](http://ohmypreciousgirl.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Naty ♥


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